Gedling MW 0 - 1 Teversal

Gedling Miners Welfare ........ 0
Teversal ................................ 1 (Fullwood 30')
(HT 0-1)

Daniel Fullwood's strike on the half hour was enough to give Teversal a snatch-and-grab victory against Gedling Miners Welfare at Plains Road on Saturday afternoon in the East Midlands Counties League.

The hosts were looking to make it two from two following their win at Clifton last week and did no harm in staking that claim with new signings Aaron Large and Newark Flowserve wide player Solomon Miller joining the club this week as both featured throughout.

The opening stages were little to write home about, however, as both sides were wasteful in possession and rather matched the mid-afternoon weather as rain soaked the Plains Road surface.

Teversal started the brighter of the two and persistently sought to involve talisman Matthew Wilkinson who looked to add to his goal against Hucknall Town last weekend.

With 9 minutes played, their best chance came via the towering frontman, however following promising link up play with Steven Mallinder, his effort was far from troublesome for Keaton Sharpe.

3 minutes later and Sharpe once again had to be alert to deny Jonathan Watkin who got in behind, but the home 'keeper did well to thwart with his feet before the danger was fully cleared.

Now settled, Gedling grew into the game and looked to match their robust opponents who relied heavily on referee Jack Carter to decide in their favour.

19 minutes had gone when the hosts had their best chance but Matt Newton could only fire straight at Rio Alberry after being found by the astute awareness of Jimmy Spiers.

A minute later and Liam Corrigan really should have put his side one up following a dangerous Luke Smith set piece after debutant Aaron Large, recently signed from Clifton, was fouled but could only nod wide unmarked.

Miners continued with their pressure and really had a foothold of the half with Teversal pinned into their final third as they struggled to gather any real momentum.

With 24 minutes on the clock, Spiers broke the offside trap on the end of Josh Thornton's through ball, but after finding himself one-on-one with Alberry, squandered the opportunity as the 'keeper saved well with his feet.

The chances were endless for a home side in complete ascendancy. 2 minutes later Thornton was on the end of Ross McCaughey's set piece but was always stretching as his header was never going to worry Alberry as Gedling started to dominate.

Despite the opportunities, however, they couldn't find a way through a spirited Alberry and were made to rue their wastefulness when, on the half hour and completely against the run of play, Teversal took a surprising lead.

Characteristic hold-up play by Wilkinson was rewarded when his pass into the path of Daniel Fullwood was dispatched with aplomb as he dinked over an onrushing Sharpe to give the visitors the go-ahead goal.

Unforeseen, Fullwood's opener really was a sucker punch to the home side despite their dominance but they continued to pressurise undeterred by the scoreline.

Dwayne Brown's thunderous effort from an angle whistled by the far post as he looked to draw Gedling level 3 minutes before the interval with Alberry merely a spectator.

The second half was only minutes old when Watkin caught Gedling cold but was once again halted by Sharpe who was having a fine game in testing conditions.

With little threat posed, Teversal looked defensively comfortable and were dealing with anything the home side were sending their way. However, the introduction of Solomon Miller shortly after the hour turned the game and he was instrumental in Gedling's best chances as the game neared its conclusion.

With 18 minutes remaining, Miller's direct approach was too much for Phillip Griffiths down the right and, as Large met his teasing cross at the back stick, skipper Adam Colton did superbly to clear off the line before the ball was thumped clear.

3 minutes later and the former Luton Town prospect Miller again found space in behind Griffiths but his excellent delivery was headed agonisingly over the crossbar by Thornton as Gedling chased a deserved, yet elusive equaliser.

Without the need to commit men forward, Teversal remained resilient as their goal lead a very charmed life. With a rare foray forward, Dean Gent, excellent on the day, did wonderfully to prevent Fullwood adding a second with 5 minutes left with a last ditch tackle following a break downfield.

Still knocking on the door, Gedling threw everything forward looking to take a warranted point from a game they arguably deserved to win.

In the dying seconds, Smith's pass through a crowd of players found Thornton, and with all to do, his impressive swivel and shot thundered back off the crossbar as referee Carter blew an end much to the delight of Teversal and their supporters.

A frustrating afternoon for Gedling as they more than deserved to take something from a game they controlled for the most part. They look to bounce back to winning ways when they travel to face Heanor Town at the Town Ground next Saturday (17th August), kick off 15:00.

Match Attendance - 82

Referee - Jack Carter
Assistant Referees - Derek Spray & Thomas Knight

Gedling Miners Welfare - Keaton Sharpe, Cameron Thurgood (George Harrison 53'), Luke Smith, Ross McCaughey (c), Liam Corrigan, Dean Gent, Matt Newton (Solomon Miller 63'), Josh Thornton, Aaron Large, Jimmy Spiers, Dwayne Brown
Unused Substitutes - Jacob Tabreham, Matt Fowler, Jordan Knight
Cautions - Thornton (foul 84')

Teversal - Rio Alberry, Phillip Griffiths, Jake Payling (Liam Vardy 40'), Adam Colton (c), Ashley Bartle, Samuel Lavelle, Joel Smith, Steven Mallinder, Daniel Fullwood, Matthew Wilkinson (Jake Outram 62'), Jonathan Watkin
Unused Substitutes - James Whitfield, Gareth Briggs
Cautions - Griffiths (foul 62')

Match report compiled and written by Marc Williams
Email: marc.williams@nottingham.ac.uk; Twitter: @ichbinmarc_

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